Has anyone considered doing a heavy clamp-on lead streamlined fairing for the tail skid as a speed mod? A fattened, decambered GAW-1 shape would work well for submerging the skid.
Although it would slightly destabilize the plane in pitch, in addition to reducing the profile drag of the tail skid, it would reduce the required aerodynamic tail download, thereby reducing the loading and induced drag of both the tail and the wing while increasing rate of climb. In addition, it would reduce the general noseheaviness of most PA-28's.
Downsides are that it would decrease the allowable payload even though it would increase climb performance and more importantly, it would make it a bit harder to get the plane out of a spin.
Although it would slightly destabilize the plane in pitch, in addition to reducing the profile drag of the tail skid, it would reduce the required aerodynamic tail download, thereby reducing the loading and induced drag of both the tail and the wing while increasing rate of climb. In addition, it would reduce the general noseheaviness of most PA-28's.
Downsides are that it would decrease the allowable payload even though it would increase climb performance and more importantly, it would make it a bit harder to get the plane out of a spin.
